The hardware first, and then the software. Nissan is already known as the leader in fast charging in Europe, since it has financed the installation of more than 1,000 stations all over the continent, but the manufacturer is now looking beyond that. That means making it easy for Nissan’s EV drivers to charge at other stations. Nissan signed a partnership with French start-up Green Park Solution to reach that goal. This company has invented the Kiwhi Pass, a smart card which can be used to pay for electricity at many charging stations in France.

The Kiwhi Pass costs €6, it works like a debit card. Users must first credit their account (on the web, with a credit card, then the driver just has to put its Kiwhi Pass close to the reader built into the charger to begin the charging session. It’s so good and so easy that Nissan bought the technology to create the Zero Emission Charge Pass, which is some kind of a Nissan-branded Kiwhi Pass. Nissan will give one Zero Emission Charge Pass to all its EV customers, making it easier for them to charge wherever they please.